1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an audio recording interface circuit in a facsimile. More particularly, it relates to an audio recording interface circuit having an audio jack for recording many kinds of received/transmitted signals on an external recording apparatus in the facsimile system.
2. Related Art
In general a facsimile has an automatic answering function, and the function allows an automatic answering machine to dispatch a message stored therein in advance to a counterpart in the event that a telephone call comes in during absence of the user. Then, it can convert a message made by the counterpart into digital data so as to store it in a semiconductor memory. Thereafter, a user operates the automatic answering machine upon his return, and reproduces the message made by the counterpart; thereby, a user can listen to the message at that time.
The following patents are considered to be representative of the prior art relative to this application: U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,667 to Remillard, entitled Apparatus And Method For Electronic Device For Information Services, U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,137 to Rhee, entitled Multi-Media Messaging System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,133 to Melrose, entitled Multi-Function Telephone Call Management System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,536 to Yudkowsky, entitled Automatic Processing Of Calls With Different Communication Modes In A Telecommunications System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,132 to Coleman et al., entitled Switch Device Adapted To Interface Between An Incoming Telephone Line And An Internal Telephone System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,628 to Klein, entitled Method And Apparatus For Initiating Loading Of Software In A Personal Computer In Response To An Incoming Signal, U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,760 to Hokari, entitled Exchange For An ISDN Capable Of Controlling An Incoming Call By Kinds Of Communication, U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,287 to Campbell et al., entitled Fax-Telephone Interface Circuit, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,400 to Hamilton, entitled Outcalling Apparatus.
However, none of the above-mentioned patents discloses an audio recording interface circuit in a facsimile system having a voice selection unit colocated with a facsimile system for local user selection of a voice signal from among various voice signals in combination with an audio jack for providing the selected and outputted voice signal to an external recorder. Moreover, none of the patents discloses an audio recording interface circuit in a facsimile system having a key input unit colocated with a facsimile system and having a transmission voice selection key, a reception voice selection key, and a transmission/reception voice selection key, in combination with a control unit for outputting a voice selection signal for selecting a transmission voice, a reception voice, or a transmission/reception voice, as well as a selection switch responsive to the voice selection signal for selecting one of the possible voice sources and an audio jack for providing the corresponding voice signal from the selection switch to an external recording apparatus.
Moreover, systems of the prior art have been burdened by a disadvantage in that, since the semiconductor memory mounted in the automatic answering machine is a volatile memory, the messages recorded initially may be erased before the user can confirm the messages. Thus, a user may not be able to confirm the messages initially recorded in the event that a plurality of messages are recorded thereon. In addition, there has been another disadvantage with prior art facsimile machines in that one cannot record the communicated contents, the transmitted/received answering messages and facsimile communication signals.